Tree moving apparatus



Dec. 11, 1956 M. A. SHEPHERD 2,773,606

v TREE MOVING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1953 3 $heetsSheet l IN V EN TOR.

Marvin A. She a/76rd A TTORNEKS'.

Dec. 11, 1956 M. A. SHEPHERD 2,773,606

TREE MOVING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ai ue. y- 37 .30 2/7 5 +3. ,2 27 m Y W I A 36 m 2 v 74 A 5% 11 mm 5 "n 3 73 Biliary/n A. Shepherd .p A 36 M ly Wm A TTO RNEYS.

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Dec. 11, 1956 M. A. SHEPHERD TREE MOVING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 8, 1953,

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U ited States Patent 2,773,606 TREE MOVING APPARATUS.

Marvin A. Shepherd, Mis'siomKans, 'assignor to Williams & Harvey Nurseries Company, Prairie Village, Kans., a corporation of Missouri Application September a, 19s3,'- Serial No. 378,731 3 Claims. -(c1. 214-4 This invention relates to a hoisting and moving apparatus, particularly for "moving trees with heavyballs of earth, and has for its principal Object to provide'a simple light weight apparatus that is adapted for safe operation.

A further'object of the invention is to provide a crane to be contained within the boundaries of the bed 'ofa motor truck and'which has a boom'projectable from the bed of the truck to position a trolley on the boomabove the ball of a tree to be lifted when the trolley is moved along the'bo'o'm to carry the tree onto'the bed of the truck.

Other objects of the invention are to pivotally and slidably mount one end of the boom in a fixed support on the fore part of the truck bed and the other end of the boom on a yoke or gantry having legs with the lower ends thereof pivotally connected with the sides of the truck bed; to provide the boom with a movable trolley; to provide a cable and pulley arrangement with a fixed pulley on the end of the boom to effect sliding and pivotal movement of the boom incidental to operation of a windlass on the truck; and to provide safe'and positive control of the boom and trolley responsive actuation of the Windlass.

In accomplishing these and other objects of thelinvention hereinafter described, I have provided improved construction, the preferred formof which is illustrated in with a crane construction in accordance with the present invention, the boom of the crane being shown in position for lifting the ball of a'tree to be transported and planted at another site.

Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the boom retracted and the tree carried upon the truck.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through the upper end of the fix standard and the pivotal and slidable mount for the boom.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the opposite end of the boom particularly illustrating the bracket for pivotally connecting the gantry with the boom.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross section through the boom particularly illustrating the trolley.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line 10'10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the crane prior to mounting on a truck.

Referring more in detailto the drawings:

1 designates a motor truck having a substantially flat bed 2 on which is mounted a crane 3 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The crane 3 includes a fixed support 4 that is mounted on the forward end of the bed 2 for carrying one end of a boom 5.

'The opposite end of the boom 5 is supported by a yoke ice 2 the truck bed. The boom 5 mounts a trolley 7- as later described.

The fix support '4 is tripod form, in that it includes upwardly converging legs 910 and 1112. 'The legs 9-10 and 11-42 have their lower ends fixed to angles 13 and 14 that are secured to the bed 2 near their respective sides thereof. The legs 9 and'll are arranged in a substantially vertical transverse plane whilethelegs 10 and 12 inclineupwardly and forwardly from the angles 13 and 14 to connect with head or saddle 15.

The head or saddle 15 is composed of corresponding sections 16 and 17 each including'substantially horizontal plate portions 18 terminating in-upstanding flanges 19. The opposite edges of the plate portions 16 have depending'flanges 29 provided with offsets 21 terminating in the sides 22 of a pulley block 23. The depending flanges -20 of the respective sections are suitably secured together in abuting relation as shown in Fig. 4 by welding and the like and theplate portions 18 are welded respectively to the upper ends of the legs 9-10 and 11-12 of the tripod support as shown in Fig. 4.

Extending transversely through suitable openings in the flanges 19 is a pivot pin 24 having a head 25 to cooperate with a cotter pin 26 at the other end in preventing axial movement of the pin'for pivotally'mounting thereon a guide sleeve 27. The guide sleeve 27 includes a substantially rectangular shaped housing having side Walls 28 and 29 connected by a top 30 and a bottom 31, the bottom 31 being inset upwardly from the lower edges of the side walls whereby the lower edges of the side walls form depending flanges 32 having openings 33 for passing the pin 24. The lower edges of the depending flanges and upperedges of the flanges 19 are preferably curved as at 34 and 35 to permit rocking movement of the guide sleeve 27. Slidably mounted within the guide sleeve between the top 30 and bottom 31 and between the side plates 28 and "29 is one end 35 of the boom 5.

The boom 5 preferably conforms in length to the length of the truck bed and may comprise an I beam 36 having upper and lowerflanges 37 and 38 connected by a central web 39, the beam being of a size so that the upper and lower flanges 37 and 38 move in sliding contact with the top and bottom portions '30 and 31 of the guide sleeve 27 while theside edges 40 of the top and bottom flanges move in contact with the inner-faces of the side walls 28 and 29 as best shown in Fig. 4.

The opposite end 41 of the boom extends rearwardly over the truck bed and is pivotally connected with the yoke or gantry 6 by a bracket 42 as best shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

The yoke or gantry 6 preferablycomprises a curved arch portion 43 terminating in legs and 45 spaced apart in accordance with the width of the truck bed 2.

The yoke is preferably formed of tubular material and the ends are flattened as at 46 and 47 to pivotally connect with ears 48 that are fixed to the respective sides ot-the rear portion of the truck bed 2. 1

The bracket 42 includes vertical web portions 49 and '50 that are welded or otherwise suitably attached to the upper flange 37 of the I beam at a point directly 'over the web 39 and at the respective sides of a transverse bearing member 51 which seats the'central arch portion 43 of the yoke. The bracket 42 also includes a bearing cap 52 which is welded to a strap 53 by which it is retained in cooperating relation with the bearing member 51. The strap 53 has the ends rolled inwardly to provide sleeve portions 54 and 55 that areslotted as at 56 to accommodate the webs 49 and 50 as shown in'Fig. 5 and to permit passage of pins 57 and '58 by which the strap 53 is secured to retain the bearingcap 52 in cooperative relation with the bearing member 51.

.The flanges 37 and 33 cooperate with the'web 39 of' t he I beam to provide channel shaped guide ways or tracks 59 and 60 at the respective sides of the boom to accommodate pairs of wheels 61 and 62 of the trolley 7. The trolley is best illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 and includes side plates 63 and 64 connected together at the ends by angle shaped cross members 65 and 66 which extend transversely below the lower flange 38 of the boom. The plates 63 and 64 extend upwardly at the sides of the boom and carry the wheels 61 and 62 on spindles 67 and 68 as shown in Fig. 10. Carried by the cross members 65 and 66 is a pin 69 pivotally supporting a pulley block 70 carrying a grooved pulley .71 which cooperates with a similar groove pulley 72 that is carried by the pulley block 23, previously described.

The rear end of the beam carries a bracket 73 which mounts a pulley 74 which cooperates with the pulley 71 and 72 in supporting a cable 75. The end of the cable which operates over the pulley 71 and 74 carries a hook 76 which is adapted to engage the links 77 of a sling or strap 78 that is adapted to be wrapped around the trunk 79 of a tree near the ball 80 thereof, as later described, and which has side chains 81 that are adapted to be connected with hooks 82 that are provided on the side plates 63 and 64 of the trolley. The opposite end of the cable 75 is wound on a drum 83 of a Windlass 84 preferably driven from the power take-off of the motor truck 1.

In order to control movement of the trolley on the boom, and to limit the projection of the boom as later described, the web of the boom is provided with a series of openings 85 through which pins 86 are passed, as shown in Figs. 3, 9 and 11 and which are adapted to be engaged by the trolley 7 and the guide sleeve 27 as later described. The end of the boom, which is slidably mounted in the guide sleeve, may be provided with stops 87 which comprise bolts 87 that extend through the upper and lower flanges of the boom on the respective sides of the web 39 as shown in Fig. 3.

In using a crane 3 constructed and mounted on a truck 1, as described, the truck is backed up to a tree to be moved and which has the earth surrounding the roots cut to a substantially ball form 80 and suitably wrapped as in usual practice. The band 78 is applied around the trunk of the tree near the ball 80 and the hook 76 of the lifting cable is connected with the links 77. The boom is shifted rearwardly of the truck upon pivoting of the gantry 6 with the forward end 35 sliding through the guide sleeve 27 and the guide sleeve 27 pivoting on the pin 24 to accommodate the changing angle of the boom as shown in Fig. l. The trolley 7 is moved along the track of the boom until it is above the ball of the tree. A pin 86 is inserted through the opening 85 immediately in back of the trolley 7 so that the trolley is retained in stationary position while the tree is being lifted. Similar pins 86 are inserted through openings 85 (Fig. 3) to engage the guide sleeve 27. The pins 86 thus retain the boom in projected position and the trolley 7 stationary so that when the Windlass 84 is actuated to wind the lifting cable 75 on the drum 83, the tree is lifted.

As soon as the ball 80 clears the ground, the tree begins to tilt toward a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1. Continued lift of the tree brings the ball 80 of the tree to a position above the bed of the truck, at which time the lifting operation is stopped and the chains 81 are connected with the hooks 82 to support the tree on the trolley. The pin 86, which is positioned in front of the guide sleeve 27 is then removed so that further winding of the cable 75 on the drum 83 of the Windlass 84 moves the gantry or yoke 6 to perpendicular position (Fig. 2) with the forward end 35 of the boom sliding through the guide sleeve 27. Since the weight of the tree is now supported by the chains 81 the hook 76 may be disengaged and attached to a band 87 which is similar to the band 78 but is attached to the trunk of the tree above 4 the band 78. Pull on the cable 75 now lifts the tnmk of the tree and when the pin 86 at the forward end of the trolley 7 is removed, the cable draws the ball of the tree to the forward end of the truck bed with the trolley 7 moving along the boom 5 as shown in Fig. 2.

Movement of the trolley 7 may then be blocked by reinsertion of the pins 86 to engage the respective ends thereof. Movement of the boom 5 in the guide sleeve 27 is also prevented by inserting similar pins 86 in the front and rear of the guide sleeve while the tree is transported to a new site for replanting.

To unload the tree the book 76 of the cable is disengaged and attached to the links of the band 78 so that when the Windlass is operated the cable moves the tree rearwardly along the bed of the truck with the trolley 7 traveling along the boom 5, it being understood that the stop pins 86 were removed from the boom to allow movement of the trolley. Since the ball is attached so that the ball end is heavier, the trunk will move off the truck in a horizontal direction without interference by the ground. When the trolley has reached the end of the track the pins 86 holding the boom may be removed, so that the yoke may be swung rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, with the boom 5 sliding through the sleeve 27 which carries the tree in position over the hole that has been prepared for it. As the ball clears the rear end of the truck bed, the ball swings downwardly and the trunk moves toward the vertical. The Windlass is then operated in reverse direction to lower the tree into planting position. As the tree is lowered, the trunk is swung to an upright position.

When heavy trees are moved, jacks 88 may be provided for support of the rear corners of the truck bed to eliminate the action of the truck springs when the load of the tree is applied to the crane.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a hoisting and moving apparatus which is of a simple light weight construction that may be safely operated, and by reason of the light weight construction, the apparatus may be used on relatively soft ground.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tree moving apparatus adapted for mounting on the bed of a truck including, a forward support adapted for fixed connection with the forward end of the bed, a boom, means on the fixed support for pivotally and slidably mounting one end of the boom for movement in the longitudinal direction of said bed, brackets adapted for fixed attachment at opposite sides of the rear end of the bed, a rear support comprising a yoke member having legs pivotally connected with said brackets for swinging movement on a fixed axis, means on the rear end of the boom and engaging the yoke for forming a fixed pivotal connection therewith for projecting and retracting the boom with respect to the rear of said bed, said boom providing a rigid track along the length thereof, a trolley movable along the track formed by the boom, a pulley carried by the trolley, a pulley carried by the fixed sup port, a lifting cable operating over the pulleys and having one end adapted for connection with the trunk of the tree near the ball thereof, a Windlass for winding the other end of the cable, holding means removably engageable with the boom and the forward end of the trolley to secure the trolley against retractive movement on the boom, a similar holding means between the fixed support and the boom for limiting retractive movement of the boom when the boom is projected beyond the rear end of said bed and to affix said trolley and boom so that winding of the cable on the Windlass effects lifting of the tree to a position above the bed of the truck, means for connecting the trunk of the tree with the trolley independently of the lifting cable when the tree is in said position to carry the ball end of the tree by the trolley, a pulley on the rearward end of the boom and adapted to reeve the lifting cable when the cable is attached to an upper portion of the trunk of the tree and while the ball end is supported from the trolley to efiect movement of the trolley rearwardly along the boom when said holding means is disengaged from the trolley to move the tree carried thereby toward the forward end of the truck bed upon further operation of the Windlass and to shift the boom forwardly upon continued operation of the windlass when the boom holding means has been removed.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 and wherein the means on the fixed support comprises a head, a transverse pivot extending transversely through said head and a part of the forward support and a sleeve on the head having a passageway for slidably retaining therein the forward end of said boom.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the boom comprises an elongated member having upper and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,906,532 Buehler et a1. May 2, 1933 1,967,166 Walker July 17, 1934 2,245,853 Eagleson June 17, 1941 

